Adam Pascal Quote in NYTimes: Ew, Ew, Ew!- Page 4

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:49pm

Who said film was so much better? And don't even dare insinuate that being a fan of Adam's makes me some out-to-ruin-Broadway idiot. You stoop far too low.

Updated On: 9/4/05 at 07:49 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:51pm

So, Emcee, basically what you just said is that Adam can't act well enough to hold his own, and he's not nearly as vocally versatile as those similar to him.

So why would anyone want to OFFER him something in a good show anyway?

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:51pm

In regards to Adam-in-Aida- at that point in his 'career', if you'd call it that, he really had no choice at all. He'd been away from Broadway for a few years trying to sell his music and failed. That would be a case of taking what you can get. I'd say he definitely demonstrated a desire to move on and improve by going after Cabaret.

If he'd like to go after film because of the material, good for him. If things go as predicted by Broadwaygirl, then she can sit on her pedastal and laugh vindictively. The rest of us will wait and see.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:52pm

Bitter?
more like realistic, LuvtheEmcee

aren't you some teenager still living at home with mom and dad?

I'm talking about having rent payments, car payments,
health insurance payments, etc. That's reality.

He didn't have to say it, LuvtheEmcee.
It was implied. Broadway doesn't have anything good, so I'm going to do film. Conclusion not too hard to draw is it???

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:53pm

Because there's stuff he CAN do, Broadwaygirl. He's got tons of charisma and presence, and a beautiful, totally unique voice - those are still very marketable qualities, even if he's not the best there is. And, because if we consider Butz and Esparza to be his main competition, they're taken. And I hardly said he can't act for sh*t. He CAN act.

Updated On: 9/4/05 at 07:53 PM

[ruprecht]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:54pm

I'm still waiting for the list of shows that aren't crap from the people that think everything on broadway IS crap.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:54pm

Adam may very well have a chance at a career in film. He certainly has the look for it....and anyone whose been to the movies lately can tell you that it doesn't take a ton of acting chops to become a movie star. ::cough::tomcruise::cough::

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:56pm

::bows down to emcee's superior knowledge::

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:57pm

MusicalsFan, exactly. You're turning your bitterness with your own personal reality into a slam against and actor. What's the point.

And no, your assumption is sickeningly wrong.

Get off my back - this argument isn't about me.

Updated On: 9/4/05 at 07:57 PM

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:57pm

*curtsies to an invisible audience, all of which are at The Emcee Show*

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:58pm

What one considers crap may not be another's opinion and at least Broadway is being supported.
Hairspraydoll, this statement is what I responded to. Broadway is being supported, even if the people deciding the fate of musical theater are the tourists that come from Oklahoma and keep Cats on Broadway for 18 years. So as long as you believe SOMEONE SOMEWHERE may think that it's a good show, it should still be supported by musical theater fans?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:58pm

The audience would love you, nia. Your curtsy was very pretty.

I always have an AUDIENCE! And a BALCONY!

Ugh.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:59pm

insomniak, i wasn't predicting ANYTHING, though going back and reading my post, I see it can be miscontrued that way.

My point was there are other, far more talented men in theatre right now, and it's a very valid reason for him not to be getting the best offers out there. That's all. And I think he's a bit hypocritical is he's saying everything on Broadway is atrocious if he went and did Aida.

Ok, maybe he NEEDED to for the sake of his career at that point. But who's to say he doesn't "need" to take a job in some of the "atrocious" theatre offers he's getting now? Unless he has amazing acting offers in film rapidly flying at him, I can't quite figure out WHAT his point was besides the fact that HE HIMSELF is getting crappy offers. Not that Broadway as a whole stinks. The fact of the matter is he's not FIT to be in much of the theatr today stylistically and often talent wise.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 7:59pm

Let me try this another way... What shows do you like, Skittles?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:00pm

But Broadwaygirl, what offers are there out there - what currently running or upcoming stuff would even be something you'd think to put him in? I wouldn't say that the offers aren't coming because he sucks, but that they aren't to be had, for someone like him - step back from the ability factor for a moment, and just take a look at the voice. Think about how something so inherently natural can limit him.

Let me ALSO remind of the almost impossibility of truly making a living ONLY doing theatre. Even one of our biggest up and coming stage stars, who wants to spend his life in the theatre has had to delve into some film.

Updated On: 9/4/05 at 08:00 PM

[Hairspraydoll]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:03pm

Ok Cats is a little hard to argue against. lol
My question is (and maybe I'm not getting this out right) if people don't support the crap on Broadway, would good theatre still attempt to try it's hand on Broadway? I dunno...maybe my point is bad, but my original point was that Adam Pascal should not have insulted Broadway in general. Maybe his words were misinterpreted as we didn't hear it and print is misleading, but I think it was a bad message to have someone who came from Broadway, insult it.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:03pm

Do you want all the shows I think are better than the new ones on Broadway, or all of my favorites?

But why do you care? For the purpose of your argument, you'll probably just claim that you don't like anyone of them just to prove me wrong.

All-time favorite show:
A Chorus Line

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:05pm

Broadwaygirl, Adam's not as desperate as he was when he did Aida. You're a relatively smart girl; you recognize that, even if you won't acknowledge it.

Not one person here has a clue as to what he's being offered now. Refrain from judging until after the movie, when you can actually make a fair condemnation.

People also aren't evil if they decide to do both theatre and film. It's not war. You don't have to pledge your undying loyalty to one side.

ETA- Emcee, it is a lovely curtsy. I'm a trained curtsier, but no one will ever know, because no one pays attention.
Updated On: 9/4/05 at 08:05 PM

[ruprecht]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:11pm

Not interested in knocking your fave shows. I think A Chorus Line would be on all of our lists. I was just morbidly curious as to what you liked as you and other posters insist to moaning about the state of Bway yet spend so much time posting on a board like this.

[Chloe]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:13pm

It's unfortunate that several of you have taken Adam's comments as such a huge criticism of Broadway, because what he seems to me to be saying is that everything *he's* been offered lately is atrocious, not that everything on Broadway is. (I wish he had made that a little clearer too.)

I know it must be difficult for people who are perhaps struggling to get any part at all in theater to read about someone else turning down things, especially someone who's led something of a charmed life in that regard, but there are reasons why Adam has been as successful as he has - wonderful stage presence, great musical instincts and an innate good taste that is actually probably driving this particular decision. Tact he doesn't have particularly, but his kind of honesty is awfully rare these days.

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:13pm

But Emcee, if he as you say, "Can't hold his own in a straight play," then what else could you be saying besides that he can't act? Or at least very well.
Also, you say there may not be anything out there to fit his talents. Maybe stretching out a bit would be helpful so he would be even more marketable? Why stay within the confines of his current talents?

I think Adam could've worded it a little differently. It did come off as pompous, no matter what he actually meant. No 2 ways about it. And film is a tough, tough business, too. You think some of those people in Hollywood don't take jobs because it pays rather than because it's a worthwhile project and within their talent base? Even Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins have both said they've taken crap jobs because they paid well and allowed them to do the quality and interesting smaller projects they preferred.

And from a practical standpoint, I agree with musicalsfan....I was unemployed for 8 months last year, went through most of my savings, couldn't find a job in the area I was looking for and suited to me, but now am working in a job that pays my car payment, insurance, mortgage and maintenance, vet bills, and food. Fortunately like he has music to fall back on, I had another career to fall back on. If he can hold out on jobs looking for the perfect one, like I thought I would and could, more power to him. I ran out of that luxury of time.

I'm not slamming you at all, Emcee. Not my intention.

*slinking back to lurkdom*

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:15pm

Emcee, point taken about making a living only in theatre. That's perfectly valid, but if that's really what he meant, he better watch his mouth for his own sake. I'm sure anyone who offered him anything recently who may have read that decided that's the last they'll ever ask him to do something.

Vocally, Adam fits Fiyero in Wicked. he'd be just fine in that role. He could sing Freddy in DRS. Billy Flynn in Chicago. Off the top of my head...maybe he could fit those. I don't think he's talented enough to play the later of the two. but that's just what's on Broadway right now. As I mentioned earlier, Menzel landed an Off-Broadway role in a show no one would've ever suspected she could, but she did. So how am I to know what original material is out there that Pascal fits? I think he's not getting a lot of offers because he's just not talented enough to pull off many of the things he might stylistically fit. And he's stylistically limited. THAT's why my point is that I really do NOT think he was making a statement about the poor state of Broadway these days.

Insomniak, of course he's not as "desperate" as he was when he took Aida. But again, my point is I don't think he's making some bold, brutally honest statement about the state of Broadway today, and he's simply making a statement about the crappy offers he's getting from theatre due to his limits talent-wsie and stylisically.

And I never said anyone was evil if they did film and theatre; I'm obviously a huge fan of Menzel's and she does both. She takes the good things that come to her, film or theatre.

[timote316]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:18pm

Ok, I must put in my $.02. And, sorry if I'm repeating other's sentiments, I haven't read all 4 pages or however many there are.

Adam is right. Of all the shows out there right now or coming up, try to place Adam into one. Adam knows his niche: he knows he is a rocker. He's not going to try to be an Italian young man, singing love songs. He's not going to try to be a little kid, singing cutesy tunes. He's not going to try to be an knight of the round table, singing awful music. He's not a song-and-dance man, so that rules out the roles mentioned by Emcee (Leo Bloom and Billy Flynn).

Plus, with such a short little quote, how can you be certain what he said? "I'd like to do more film, and frankly, there's nothing to do in theater. The material being offered is so atrocious, I have to move into film." Keyword: offered. Who knows what he is being offered right now. Before he joined the Rent movie, maybe he was being offered parts TOTALLY wrong for him (remember the rumors of Fiyero and Seymour? Ugh). I don't take his statements as jabs against Broadway, just the parts that were available.

Lastly, you pick one: 1) wait around for the right show for your talents to come around; 2) take a role that you are completely awful in, essentially ruining your shot at #1; 3) take a lead role in arguably the most anticipated and potentially successful movie musical in a long time. Personally, this decision is painfully easy.

This in no way changes my opinion of Adam. In fact, I think I like him even better now that I know he's not afraid of the backlash of speaking his mind.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:23pm

ruprecht, I don't like jukebox musicals. I think it's a lazy way to create a show, and more about making money than producing quality musical theater. And yet they keep managing to come out with new ones every year with no signs of slowing. That's my problem with the current state of Broadway.

And if you think I'm being harsh about the state of theater, I won't even get into my thoughts on the current state of television.

[teh_pretty]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 8:24pm

"It's unfortunate that several of you have taken Adam's comments as such a huge criticism of Broadway, because what he seems to me to be saying is that everything *he's* been offered lately is atrocious, not that everything on Broadway is. (I wish he had made that a little clearer too.)"

If you wat to split hairs, he says "The material being offered is so atrocious, I have to move into film." Nowhere does he say he's even been offered anything. And besides, I don't think he means everything on Broadway right now is crappy, I think he means that he isn't interested in the Wicked-smash-hit type show, or the jukebox thing (which is something I could picture him in -- depending on the artist), which are two very prominent forms on Broadway as of now.

I've gotta say, I admire the man for saying what's been on a lot of people's minds (I may get trashed for this, but come on. Everything offered these days isn't exactly gold). I don't think it was too wise for him to phrase it the way he did, but what can you do. The guy's human and didn't censor himself. It happens.